Not all those who wander are lost.

Tag Archives: Drastic

Sometimes, we find beautiful things in the unlikeliest of places. I think cities like Nu Jyorck excel at this kind of thing. Great artwork on the sides of tenements, sculptures made out of rubbish, and of course the annual February Fae Fashion Show, which takes place in a different abandoned building every year. And while I’m certain my ongoing friendship with Arahaelon is behind many things that happen to me in Nu Jyorck, it still gave me a thrill when the FFS (best initials ever!) crew got in touch to say they’d like me to be in the show this year!

All the models are Fae, though the audience is a mix: Nu Jyorck has such a fae-worshipping vibe that tickets are pretty hot, even for the most expensive city in most Realms. Of course, official photos of the show itself can only be distributed by the FFS corporation and its official publicist, but when you’re a participant, they give you promotional rehearsal photos to share!

So, here are the outfits I’m modelling at the best fashion ticket in Nu Jyorck!

The Annex: Larkin Gown, for The Trunk Show, Purple

The Annex has such a way with things that are both sexy and simple. The cut of this gown may seem to leave little to the imagination, but it’s flared enough that it moves well on the dance floor, too. And the colours! Such an intense purple here, but the fabric is reflective enough that it appears to be several different shades. The lovely people at No Match handled the hair for this gown: it’s their No Promise style. The necklace is by Vae of The Plastik fame: it’s called Sawola. Zibska, such a deft hand with pastels, did the makeup; their Adelia line works perfectly here. Underneath the eyeshadow and lipstick, the skin painting was accomplished by the amazing folks over at 7 Deadly s{K}ins. Where would I be without them?

Here’s a closer view, mostly so you can get an idea of how the bodice on the gown falls.

The collaboration that is Silvan Moon Designs never fails to amaze and delight, and this classy gown is no exception. The pearl collar and neckline are the only adornments on a dress that is just perfectly cut with a great tulip shape. The delicate brocade fabric really sets off the dress, and once again No Match did some magic on my hair for this style: the look is called No Halo, even though I kind of felt as if I were wearing a halo because of this gorgeous Avaway Diadem the organisers put me in.

Avaway Diadem

Ghee: Overblown Lace Pashmina, for Sense.

I love it when I get to play with more modern, “casual” clothing styles, even though I think you could wear this pashmina a lot of different ways. Here, it’s paired with an old pair of jeans from my personal wardrobe and some great boots from Empire, the Nelumbo Boots. The hair is by Truth, Astra.

Yummy Truth Hair!

Silvery K: Soiree Beil Dress and Gloves

Such a fun dress from Silvery K! It comes with matching gloves as well. The shoes are from Pure Poison, the Aurora Sandals, and they might as well have been made for this dress. Hair by Monso, Junghwa. The FootPaw Industries necklace is from my personal collection.

Cazimi did an amazing job on my nails, don’t you think?

And mm, sexy lace detailing on the bodice and gloves from Silvery K.

Shanghai: Bella Gown, Rose (for Enchantment)

Now, I’ve seen this before at big Nu Jyorck events. Somehow, they think you’re “more fae” if you come from a “fae realm”. That is, if you come from the Metaverse equivalent of a cultural backwater, you’re somehow more legit as a fae. Which means that they’re always going to try and put you in fairytale gowns and wings and pretty headdresses because they think you’re somehow more honest in those outfits than a Nu Jyorck native would be. Well, that’s poppycock, of course, but I do love a great ballgown, and this is definitely one. The meticulously crafted petals set the whole dress off beautifully, and that skirt is so reflective you feel like you’re wearing liquid gold. Magika provided the hairstyle, Talk Like That, with the headdress by Elise (Silvia) and choker by Empyrean Forge (Majesty) that look like they were made for each other.

I think this is just a zoom of the same shot, but I like that you can see more of the headdress here.

Liz: Abrielle Dress, for Sense

Now, this is a dress I could wear almost anywhere, particularly as the hope of spring is alive in most places. Liz‘s Abrielle Dress has such fun lines, and I love the pearl embellishments. The shoes are from Like Design, Doll Shoes. They are also a lot of fun, and Nani did this incredible Kenna thing with my hair!

This dress just makes me smile!

Salt: Belle Gown, for Enchantment

Salt did a beautiful Belle Gown, and of course you know they had to put me in some legit wings sometime! These were crafted by Drastic, and are called Butterfly Wings. DeLa did the hair for this outfit: the style is called Melora, which makes me think of that series of fantasy novels I loved as a little kid, the ones with all the dragons.

Here, you can see the great Cazimi Nails, but the necklace is obscured by my hand, I’m afraid.

I hope the necklace will be visible in some of the official Show photos: it’s from Bliensen & Maitai, and I’ve always liked their work.

Alter: Viviana Asymmetric Wedding Dress, for Sense

I wouldn’t necessarily wear this dress to get married in, but I’d wear it just about anywhere else. It’s from Alter, the Viviana Asymmetric Wedding Dress, and I love the high-low effect and the loveliness of the bodice here. The BareRoseLace Wings fit beautifully with it, and the jewellery is from Adorsy, the Emily necklace and armbands. These stunning shoes are from Cult: they’re the Desire Heels. Exile created this hairstyle, called Jemma.

A closer look at wings, hair, and necklace? Yes!

So, that’s all eight outfits I was asked to model for this badly-kept-secret fashion show in the steamy underbelly of Nu Jyorck! It was a great experience. I hope they’ll ask me again sometime.

No, seriously. Have you ever thought about actually being a tree? I had a roleplaying character once, back when I was, I don’t know, fifteen (or at least mentally), whose main power was that she could turn in to a tree and spread an aura of unshakeable calm. The boys in my D&D group loved that, I can tell you.

To start out with, though, it is possible.

To start out with, though, it is possible to become a tree. Obviously, you need the right environment. Duh, Faerie. And the right attitude. This, for me, can present a problem. So in lieu of the right attitude, I choose the right clothing. I mean, it’s really the same thing, isn’t it?

You start with a garment that pretty much covers your torso in tree-ness.

You start with a garment that pretty much covers your torso in tree-ness, add some tree-style gloves (which are a bit scratchy but look fabulous), put in some floaty leaves for good measure….

And you finish it up with shoes that are made of actual oak leaves.

And you finish it up with shoes that are made of actual oak leaves. I kid you not. Or, as Fen might have said before she became The Amazing Catwoman and developed a worse potty mouth than I used to have, “For-real-sies”. No, I am not making this up. Don’t ask her: she’ll probably tell you to fuck off.

You have to find just the right kind of light.

You have to find just the right kind of light. The sort of light that filters over you and makes you imagine that if only you were a bit more still, you could make slanting light fill the forest, call sunbeams, green the ground with a translucent leaf.

You have to appreciate shadow.

You have to appreciate shadow. Because what tree doesn’t grow up in the shadows of other trees? Well, aside from those fake tree plantations, or maybe trees in an orchard, or — yeah, whatever: we’re talking about actual, real forests here, not some artificial construct made by other hands, be they mortal or Fae.

You have to really want to be a tree.

You have to really want to be a tree. And I’m not taking about sort of going, “Yeah; it might be nice to be a tree.” I’m talking about full-scale, bark-fetish level tree envy. Like, “O how marvellous it would be to have a thousand year lifespan and never have to talk to another human being again as long as I lived, assuming someone didn’t chop me down and turn me into, I don’t know, some evil marionette and make me talk as if I were a … OK, obviously I’m going off on a bit of a tangent here.

Moving on.

Finally (and this is the hard part), you must actually be still.

Finally, and this is the hard part, you must actually be still. Which, OK, I am not very good at. But I trust that once I have all these things in place and once I learn to be still, I shall be a very good tree indeed.